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SEPTEMBER 2002 My goodness, September here already, now I have to start saving some pesos for Christmas presents. With the economy taking a bit of a nosedive lately it is hard to save and the stock market is not that hot. In fact, if you own stocks in any of the following companies, professional brokers are advising an immediate review: American Can, Interstate Water, National Gas Company and Northern Tissue Company. Due to uncertain market conditions, we advise you to sit tight on your American Can, hold your Water, and let go of your Gas. You may be interested to know that Northern Tissue touched a new bottom today, and millions were wiped clean. It's a tough market out there. Be careful... OK, I have to admit that this is not my material; I received it via E-mail and thought it kind of amusing but I suspect there are a few readers out there that are not happy campers with the stock market. To continue this feeble attempt at humor, a word of advice - "never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative at the same time". Yes, yes, I know, enough already! What the hell, I want September to be a happy month for one and all, why? - because it is getting closer to the time when business should start picking up as more of you lads start to head over here for fun and games and I want to start you off in a good mood.
So, Hello September, lets PARTY IN ANGELES CITY!! FOXY PARTY Over a year ago I visited the Southern Star Hotel's Foxy's Bar and was not impressed at all; not many ladies and not many customers! Folks, the times they have changed. I visited there a couple of times last month and I can sure give this little hide-a-way a three horseshoe rating (out of five) for the ladies, atmosphere, fun and fine management by the Dutch master himself, Nico (Rotterdam, Netherlands). The place is too small for a five rating but there are certain special events where, for pure enjoyment, a five-horseshoe rating would be appropriate. The location of the bar is convenient in that there are always plenty of rooms available that can be used for those short intimate conversations when one wants to get away from the loud music. If the ladies do not warrant attention then one can wander out to the pool area and converse with the two monkeys that can expound on the latest economic and political happenings in town. The price is cheap, only one banana! I'm sure many folks have felt, when trying to engage in serious conversation, that they were talking to a couple of monkeys anyway especially when they disagree with you. The Southern Star is located on the street in back of the Clarkton Hotel, Perimeter Road. The lady with the pool stick in her hand is Grace, presently dancing at Foxy's and has earned the nickname of the "Black Widow" due to her skills on the pool table and similar physical appearance to that sexy Jeanette Lee. Grace is 23, single, with one young kid and no steady beau at this time. According to those in the know she is pleasant and a very nice lady to know.
SANTOS STREET CONSTRUCTION Santos Street is still a bit of a mess but Gerard's construction of four new bars is progressing quite rapidly. These should be up and running by the holidays. While taking the above picture I was approached by the Manager of the Cock & Bull Bar located in the Chicago Park Hotel, Russell Birchall who took me on a tour of the Hotel and bar facilities. It was an unexpected pleasure for I had not been at that location since the closure of Cuddles Bar. The rooms are being upgraded and there is a pleasant dining area next to the Cock and Bull serving some good food at reasonable prices. The location has the same convenience as the Orchid Inn though not as modern, of course. The pool is not for swimming, it definitely is too small but good enough for cooling off on a hot day. Russell has a bit of a marketing job in front of him but my impression is that he is up to the task and with all the new bars under construction in that area, room occupancy has no where to go but up. I am guilty of not taking the time to visit the bar at night but it is on my list of places to check out. Park Chicago Hotel rates range from P770 a day for the standard room, P830 for deluxe, P890 for executive to P1,140 for the VIP room with discounts for longer stays.
OLYMPUS OUT - NARA IN Last month I reported that the new owner of the Las Vegas Hotel renamed it the Olympus; that name is out and it will now be known as the Nana Hotel. One wing of rooms is open for occupancy but work is still ongoing to renovate the rest of the rooms and the swimming pool. The kitchen is not open yet but the manager, Nelson Ibe, tells me that by mid September they should be fully operational. When I was there on 24 Aug I saw one tenant and you could be sure he got a very good rate. I have not been able to meet the second half of the owner team, Agnes, so am not able to pass on what plans she and her husband have for the place but hopefully I will be able to corner her for an interview sometime this month.
QUITE A PICTURE "Ouch, that had to hurt" were my remarks to Ed Allison (from San Francisco) as I noticed the extensive display of tattoos on his body, arms and legs while enjoying a drink at the Orchid Inn. I asked him if he intended to have anymore and he emphatically said, "no, it hurts too much". The tattoos you see were done over a five-year period and each sitting can take 3 to 4 hours and once, he sat for 5 hours under the needles. Ed owns a strip club in the bay area and visits Angeles City every couple of months. He doesn't mind talking about the tattoo artwork and I was pleased that he agreed to have his picture taken. Folks he knew in the business did all of the tattoos in the States and even with discounts he has invested over $10,000 with no regrets at all; he would never even think of having a tattoo affixed locally for various reasons. By the way, Shanno remains as manager of the Flamingo. He visited Thailand for one week and had to return, as Kelly would not release him, he was doing too good a job here.
SWAGMAN Last month I mentioned that the new owners of the Narra Swagman would take over on 14 Aug. Prior to printing I asked the go2phil webmaster (Tom) to remove this item because of certain legal complications that was delaying the final word on this sale. Owner Rodney H., during an interview with me, provided the 14 Aug date but the delay was unforeseen at that time. Regretfully, Tom forgot to remove that item and PR man Brian Hawkins was a bit harsh in accusing this Horse of not having his facts straight and said so on the swagman.com site. Of course Brian did not realize where the information had come from and what better source could I ask for then Rodney, plus of course, as far as the pecking order is concerned, Brian was not on my list for that type of interview. A follow up discussion with one of the possible new owners revealed that progress was being made and I should have an update just prior to this column going to press. Some readers of this column have heard about some legal issues between some shareholders and Rodney regarding the sale and some previous grievances that are fueling the rumor mill. This is something that is personal and best left to the players involved. My only interest is seeing if the sale is finally consummated, interviewing the new owners and introducing them to the readers of this column. No programming changes are planned at this time and I have never said there would be, those announcements will be coming from the new owners, if and when they take over (Not to worry Brian, you still have a job - you're too good at it to let go - I think). Bit of an update - I ate lunch at the Swaggie on 24 Aug and found that one of the owners has bowed out and been replaced by another. Bill and Kelvin are now sorting things out together along with a barrister from Australia and a Filipino lawyer has been added to the team as well. My goodness, things do get a bit complicated but Bill was very optimistic that everything would be sorted out by the end of the month. BAR FOR SALE Attention those of you with money to spare, there is a bar in town that is for sale and you can have it for $12,000 (US) and the rent is P25, 000 a month with a 2 1/2 X 2 ½ year lease. The name of the bar is the Club Rio, located off of Perimeter Road just a short distance past the Phoenix Hotel. The well-known owner is Neville, popularly known as "Shifty Nifty" and you can contact him for further information. (I bet that Ken Evans would love to talk to any potential buyer) No comment from this horse as to whether this would be considered a good deal or not, the rent appears to be a bit high for the area but the income potential is there. Take a look, check out the books, survey the area and make an educated decision, what the hell, some folks come to town willing to spend the bucks, regardless of the risks. What is life without a risk or two? (That is a quote from a few con men I have met in this town over the years). QUESTION Which father in town takes his 12-year-old son to a Kokomo's wet T-shirt contest and then to a bar to enjoy some hands on exploration to complete the evening (Dad paid for the EWR)? My son was 16 when he visited me here and still talks about the memory (he is 40 now). I wonder if Priscilla the Horse will let me take our son who will be four this year when he is 12? By that time I will be 76 years old, and if still alive, may not have the physical energy to give him that first intro to the finer things of life - any opinions here? TWO TRUE STORIES It happened to an Australian flying from Bangkok to Australia. Directly after taking off he helped himself to three strong sleeping pills and was confident that he would have a very peaceful trip. When he woke up he was in Australia, bent over a sink, his pants down and a finger up his ass. Seems the authorities could not wake him up, suspected that he was carrying drugs up the ole bung hole and they had leaked. He no longer takes sleeping pills during air travel! Another Australian lad trying to get back to Carumba, Queensland (why would anyone want to get back there?) - At the airport they were checking his baggage and were suspicious about his carrying K-Y jelly, dental Floss and condoms. He had an explanation for each item as they removed them one by one in that he was married to a small petite Filipina, did not want to get pregnant just yet, used the K-Y because she was small and a bit tight and the dental floss to clean his teeth. This took a bit of time and was a bit unusual to have to explain each item. The security guy told him "OK" you can pass but this passenger wanted an explanation so he addressed a supervisor and asked him why the third degree regarding those items. He was told that this is the gear that people use when carrying drugs up the arse, the condom for the coke, the K-Y jelly to help shove it up and the dental floss to make it easier to pull it out later. This traveler no longer carries those items when traveling by air. BONANZA HOTEL UPDATE The Bonanza has not closed its doors despite the upheaval with the disappearance of Robbie (sources have told me that he is somewhere in Australia), in fact Bones and Bob will continue as managers as well as stockholders. There are three others that are also financially involved but wish to be unnamed but are very active in putting their share of the money required to make much needed improvements. During my visit Bob was very optimistic about the place and proudly showed me the renovations being made to the bar area. Additionally, the rooms are being renovated in lots of 25 and the room rates have been reduced during this makeover. The hotel will be renamed the "Ponderosa" as soon as the final approval is received sometime in September. Be advised that it is business as usual during this transition and from what I can see, the new investors are motivated to bring this hotel up to the standard that will attract the many guests that they have lost in the recent past. The location remains an inconvenience but with the shuttle making its hourly runs that should not be a major problem. With Bob and Bones actively steering the "ship" in the right direction I am very optimistic that room occupancy will increase dramatically at the Ponderosa - check it out the next time you are in town. A NEW BIRD AT THE BYRD CAGE Kim, AKA as Netguard, has purchased the rights to the Byrd Cage. No major changes planned, it was a walk in, walk out deal. Welcome to the headaches of bar ownership Netguard. Does this mean that you will be selling "Billy Boy" now? MEMORY LANE This can be fun and nostalgic to us old timers. I received E-mail from "stall_joe", and even though I am not sure if I have ever met him we did have something in common. We both arrived here in 1977 and both regret not taking pictures of all the clubs that were here at that time. Now, I plan to take my camera and take as many pictures of the names of the clubs that are presently here, why? Because they change so quickly! Joe's memory is much better than mine as we were trying to remember the trail of bar names that have changed over the years. I will list the names that Joe came up with: 1. Connections to Jungle Club. 2. Viking - Valhalla - to Kitten Club. 3. Archies - Bronco's - Blue Velvet - closed. 4. Abbey Road to Las Vegas Club. 5. Pit Stop - Classroom - to Lollipop's. 6. Temple of Rock - Mudbones - Splash - Marine Bar - Closed. 7. Fire Station - Cartoons - closed. 8. Xanadu - Voodoo - Insomnia. 9. Private Dancer I - After Dark. 10. Titanic - Love Boat - Cottontails - closed. 11. Panama Jack's - to Rhapsody. 12. Open bar with boxing ring - to Kokomo's. 13. Happy Hooker - Dolphin - Dirty Duck. 14. Lash to Bananitas. 15. Birds of Paradise (downstairs) - Papillion - Angels. 16. Octopussy - Shanno's. 17. Giant - Temptations - Blue Fox. 18. Duke of York (moved to Santos St.) and Wontok. 19. Private Dancer II - Exotica - closed. 20. TQ torn down to be renamed Camelot. 21. Cockatoos - Treasure Island. 22. Buccaneer's - Champagne. 23. Thunderstruck/Bubbles - G-Spot/Ayer's Rock. 23. Heavenly Bodies - Blue Nile. How many folks remember Crazy McCabes bar, the Green Frog, Fire Empire, Nipa Hut, Hard Rock, the old Ponderosa, LBFM, Stop and Shop? Search those memory banks and E-mail me at Lacasa@ag.netasia.net. There were many bars on McArthur, 1st, 2nd , 3rd, and 7th streets as well as a few heading towards Mountain View. I met one very old Veteran that was here in the 50's and the entertainment district was downtown where the circle is. Now that is going back a ways. ABOUT TIME For the last few years traveling MacArthur Highway through Mabalacat, especially North to South has been a frustrating experience due to the massive traffic jams encountered in this town. The Mayor has tried to find solutions but there is not much you can do with a two lane road used by some of the most undisciplined drivers in the world but now, thanks to the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) help is on the way. Plans have been made to build another passageway into the Clark Special Economic Zone (CSEZ) in Barangay Dolores in this town. To clarify, the CSEZ is what used to be Clark Air Base and Dolores is located just north of Mabalacat. Once this new passageway is available, vehicles traveling to Angeles City or the CSEZ from the north will no longer have to pass through the town of Mabalacat but will be able to go through the CSEZ (Clark). This will be a tremendous improvement as the lack of alternative roadways throughout this area to include Dau, Balibago and Angeles City is the main reason for traffic congestion. The CDC is paying for this project and it is hoped that motorists will be able to use this alternate route in only a few months from now. It would be nice if Mayor Lazatin and Mayor Morales could put their heads together and figure out how to ease the daily, nearly all day traffic jam going from Balibago to Dau. I realize that this is not big news for those of you that are just visitors to this town but many of you rent motorcycles and vehicles while here so maybe by your next trip you will see a bit of improvement in the traffic situation when you plan a road trip to the North. Of course, a big help would be to extend the North Expressway beyond Mabalacat, something they nearly started years ago and still say there is a plan to do so. But a project like that would make too much sense so why look for the necessary funds; it would also be nice to see a new Friendship bridge built to replace the "temporary" one lane joke now in place, I guess our Mayor is waiting for CDC to pay for that as well. Election time is approaching soon so if history prevails, construction projects should start up with the names of Governor's and Mayors prominently displayed as being responsible for easing the plight of the masses. SURPRISE - SURPRISE Surprisingly the police in Manila have arrested suspects in the murder of Briton Steve Davis. Not a surprise to many expats in this town is that Steve's wife Dianita and her alleged Filipino lover was suspected. Arrested were Arnold Adoray, branch manager of Silver Wings Security Agency, Angeles City and security guard Alexander Dagami, who worked security at the Sta. Maria Subdivision in Angeles City. These two characters were responsible for security in the Sta. Maria Subdivision area, a place that I have written about in previous columns as a no-mans land after dark because of the number of expats being attacked there; no wonder with such people in charge of security. Adoray and Dagami, were positively identified by Canadian Michael Dunn as the individuals who entered his apartment in Makati City last July 17 and shot Davis. During the investigation of the murder police were able to find an informant who showed them the location of suspect Dagami. Subsequent investigations conducted in the area revealed that Davis' wife Dianita was often seen with the suspect both in and out of her home. Add this incident to the long list of those involving sweet, gentle, loving Filipina wives or live-ins who kill their expat husbands/boyfriends, or just attack them with knives, throw ashtrays or other items at them, lock them out of their homes, etc. Add this to the list of lovely wives or girlfriends that appear to love you and are also supporting their tricycle boyfriends on the side. I bet there are a thousand stories out there that can be told. More than one person has told me that "if you want great sex - marry a Filipina, if you want love, buy a dog". Naturally, that is an exaggeration for there are many successful marriages between expats and Filipinas but one thing is fact, that gentle, loving lady can turn into a tiger if she feels that she has been wronged and many of them have no conscience about having a Filipino boyfriend on the side. Another saying is "you can take the lady out of the bar, but you can't take the bar out of the lady"; now this has a bit more truth in it depending on how long the lady worked in the "business". So, surprisingly, the murder of an expat may be solved and the culprits put in jail. It will be interesting to read more details as the investigation progresses. (Special note - I have noticed that new guard boxes have been placed at various locations in Santa Maria Subdivision, manned by private security guards which is a step in the right direction. Only one thing bothered me, as I was trotting home with Priscilla after a nice meal at the Powder Keg one Sunday night, we passed one of these posts and noticed that the guard was sound asleep, and this was only around 10 PM. Oh well, at least the intentions are good). MUST BE THAT SEASON AGAIN It appears that burglaries are on the rise again. Recently a bar was broken into and also a residence in Josephville I. The mode of entry is to pry apart the iron bars on the windows, insert a small juvenile into the premises so he can open the door to the thieves. These robberies are taking place even while the residents are sleeping during the "stealing hours" of 3 to 4 AM. For most of this year it has been relatively quiet in the burglary department but recent events indicate that this is no longer the case. Check those windows and doors at night and make sure that an aggressive dog is on the premises to at least provide a bit of warning. If possible, try to make sure that an apartment or house is not left empty, even for one day. You can rest assured that you are being watched, especially those single occupants that go out during the day or night and have no one to watch their residence. I have also been informed that a kidnapping ring from Manila may have moved into this area and it is suspected that one member of the gang may be living in the Villa Sol Subdivision. Right now it is only a "suspicion" but to be forewarned is to be forearmed. Be careful out there folks. NEW CONTACT SPORT? Is it true that some folks are wondering who put the tiger in Tiger's tank? It was reported that this well-known expat was involved in a bit of an altercation during an afternoon pool match at Emotions Bar when his opponent did not move out of the way of a shot when asked to do so. After throwing a few punches the two combatants were warned by a rather large person to knock it off or he would take them both outside and trash them; with those soothing words the lads shook hands and made up. Just another afternoon on the cricket grounds mate! WEDDING BELLS This Horse received a notice from Fiesta Garden's Harley Milsop that he and Agnes Cerna are getting hitched on 14 Sep around noontime. Harley wrote "As mentioned, friends, many of whom I did not know before my days here, are coming from all points of the globe to include England, US (include Hawaii), Germany, N.Z. and obviously Australia. We hope this will be a very informal affair hence we are not sending out invitations, etc., but anyone who we know is asked to drop in and have a bite to eat and maybe a sip or two as well. Your column would be a great way to let expats know." Hope you have a big garden at the Fiesta Harley, you know what the lads are like in Angeles when a free feed and piss is in the offering. I wonder how many strangers will run down to the Fiesta to meet you prior to the 14th? No doubt your many mates wish you and Cerna much happiness and will be looking forward to that magic day in your life. Congrats! (eh, well, you better believe this horse will be there, have you ever seen a horse refuse to eat?) POWER LIFTING COMPETITION If you enjoy watching a bunch of men trying to get hernias by lifting heavy weights that should be left on the floor than stop by Hidden Vale Sports Club on 7 Sep, at 2 PM for their first power lifting competition. There will be three divisions as the guys' grunt and groan through the bench press, squat and dead lift; there will be prize money and trophies for winners. (P100 entry fee) If you would rather watch a few Honey-Ko ladies gyrate and groan with pleasure and lift nothing heavier than a drink glass, then don't forget the Knights of the Brown Ring (AH Club) monthly meeting at the Blue Boar Inn at 12:30 PM, 7 Sep. What a choice, sweaty hunks or sweet smelling charmers, who says you don't have a variety of choices in Angeles City? SEATBELT WARNING Be advised that there have been reports from expats that there is a policeman on a white motorcycle stopping foreigners driving on Fields Ave, MacArthur Ave near the CDC park and even along the road leading to the CDC for seat belt violation. The legitimate fine for this is P500 but he is asking anywhere from 1,000 to 2,000 pesos and in some cases, getting it. One driver was assessed 1,500 and was told he would have to attend a safety class, but when he asked for "good will" was able to pay this cop P500. Be advised folks that if stopped for seatbelt violation, the fine is P500, if more is asked, get the policeman's name and report it to the proper authorities. We don't need this kind of shakedown starting up but if you want to avoid a problem, please buckle up when driving and you get the extra benefit of feeling a bit safer. If you ride a motorcycle or motorbike, wear a helmet and make sure your driving license has the correct code to allow you to drive that conveyance. It is getting closer to the holiday season and foreigners are targets for the crooks and the police (yes dear readers, believe it or not, there is a difference). CABLE TV Angeles City Cable Television Network (ACCTN) will be changing the face of Cable Television in this town as they begin the task of installing cable boxes to all the television units of all the subscribers to their cable service. If you listen to management and read their letter they want you to believe that this box is to make things better for you, the subscriber. Actually, this is not completely true, the main objective is to prevent illegal connections and this will benefit ACCTN in that more revenue will be realized and the theft of transmissions will be eliminated. This is a sound business objective and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that and subscribers will receive collateral benefits but not as wonderful as ACCTN would like you to believe. For one thing, now each and every TV set hooked up to cable must have a cable box in order to receive the cable signal and your TV remote control will not be able to change the channels. You have an option though, for P200 you can purchase a dedicated remote control for the cable box, of course you will still need your regular remote to turn the TV on and off. Now you not only have a box to make room for but now you must have two remote controls to deal with, unless you want to stick to changing channels via the cable box manually. This would be disastrous to dedicated couch potatoes. If you happen to own a universal remote, don't throw it away; they will work with the cable box. Some customers that have used the box have indicated that one will not be able to record one station while watching another station at the same time. This convenience will be sorely missed by those folks used to the convenience of taping shows for later viewing (After talking to a technician it was explained that this type of taping can be accomplished but one would have to purchase a by-pass switch). Another item to be aware of is that the picture in picture (PIP) feature will not work with the cable box so I guess the TV salesmen at Savers will tell the customer this when trying to sell those TV's that show two channels at the same time. Naturally, cable costs will increase because of the box rental for extensions, insurance fees, and the higher extension rates. There are three viewing packages, international, premium and basic. The basic package is geared for the lower income folks that would like to have cable access at a price they can afford. The most popular package will no doubt be the premium, as it provides all the stations that are available now. The international package is intended for those Japanese, Korean, Indian, German and Chinese viewers who would like to see broadcasts in their native languages. For more details and to answer your questions one can contact Nancy Mensalvas, ACCTN manager who very patiently tried to answer all of my questions, despite being interrupted by numerous phone calls while I was with her. I suspect that this diplomatic, attractive lady spends a great deal of time on the phone each day and must exercise a degree of patience in dealing with the various expats that call her who are not quite as polite or as timid as the Filipino subscribers. It was also a pleasure to talk with CEO Jack Uy, who is very excited about this new system and feels optimistic that it will benefit both ACCTN and the subscribers. It is too early to judge right now, we will have to wait until after 28 Feb when the installation of the boxes to all subscribers is complete. (Customer hotline numbers are 323-5215/7888, 892-8890, 888-1720, locals 110, 112, 127 and 128 or e-mail: acctn@comclark.com) DOUBLE STANDARD? How many times have visitors to Angeles City had to listen to the negative comments about Fields Ave from various women's groups, church groups and various other groups that enjoy bashing those folks that come here to enjoy the club scene? They are quick to point out that prostitution is illegal, or that their women are being taken advantage of and that the Filipino stresses a high moral standard. This Horse has listened to it for 23 years so I found it rather amusing to read a movie review in the Manila Bulletin covering the movie "Laman" starring Lolita De Leon in which some of the descriptive quotes follows: "Local cinema is in for a heaping mountain of thrills as Regal Entertainment struts out its newest sexpot in the upcoming "Laman," the proud and glorious owner of the biggest pair of boobs in the business, Lolita de Leon! She of 19 summers and well-endowed with an over-40 sized pair of boobs sure to overwhelm the macho male imagination. A sight to behold. Decidedly her biggest ticket to fame, this huge titty advantage is seen to propel her handle. Men will be clawing all over for her the moment they lay eyes on her. Pictures don't lie. Size really matters. Definitely the all time record holder in that department. To find a bra that fits her has been the challenge going round showbiz circles nowadays. Lolita's glorious twin peaks." Now, isn't that a nice conservative, moralistic approach to this lady and her movie? I have seen her picture and if she does not make it in the movies, she will certainly qualify for a job in any bar in Angeles City and there are a few ladies employed that can lend her a bra that will fit! 
HOW OLD?
I happened to wander into a bar in town that was celebrating the birthday of one of the dancers. There was the usual array of balloons (definitely not Silk Stocking) with the lady's name and age printed on them. Bear in mind that this young lady had been employed for 4 to 5 months and half of the balloons said "Happy 19 and the other half said happy 18". I asked the charming lass how old she was and she said 18. When I pointed out this discrepancy to the supervisor she immediately said the girl was 19, but within 15 minutes the balloons with 18 on them were being taken down. I thought this was rather amusing and surprised that I was the only one to notice but the supervisor, a lovely lady herself, did not speak to me the rest of the night, not even a "thanks". VILLA MODESTO HOTEL Received a text message from Paul Willis that the Villa Modesto Hotel will be closing until around the December time frame due to the lack of business. Will seek more details but those of you that know Paul realize that any conversation with him can drift into 50 different subject areas within five minutes without getting an answer to your original question. When the new Health Visions Hospital opens it should help to increase occupancy at Villa Modesto due to its close proximity so no doubt this closure will not last too long. STILL LOOKING Earlier this year there was an article in the local paper about an Englishman, Brian Fish, 46 years old, staying at the Marble Inn being accused of bigamy. There was no follow-up in the paper (as usual) so it was a mystery as to what happened to him. Last month, Scottish Ron, previous owner of the Highlander Bar in Diamond Subdivision provided me with a few details and an update on the status of Brian. It seems that Brian had a previous marriage in England (divorced) and married twice in the Philippines. The relationship with the first Filipina wife went sour and the marriage was annulled (supposedly) clearing the way for Brian to marry a second Filipina who happened to be the assistant cashier at the Highlander. The complications began when Brian ran into legal problems in England concerning his 15-year-old daughter and legal fees forced him to reduce expense money to his present wife. Naturally his present wife did not understand nor like the reduction of allowance that was around 300 pounds a month so she turned Brian in as a bigamist. It turns out that the Judge issued phony annulment papers and Brian honestly thought they were legitimate. The first wife, Elsa Fish, who used to be a long time employee of the Flaming bar now lives in the States and has remarried. Ron is asking, "doesn't this mean that Elsa is a bigamist"? In any case, Brian was able to depart the Philippines one day prior to the issuance of a "stop order" from Immigration, lucky man. Would you believe that after these two bad experiences Brian still wants to return here and seek another lady? He has told Ron that he is thinking that if he changed his name and obtained a new passport he might give it a try. This man is a perennial playboy but the Horse would suggest that he restrict his travels to Thailand or other exotic locations and stay away from the Philippines. The Filipinos, especially the ladies have long memories so a return trip could result in Brian running out of luck! I realize that New Castle, England might not be Brian's cup of tea, but maybe he better put the teapot on the burner and enjoy the blending aroma for a few more years. MAKRO FEEDBACK Makro has an e-mail address for complaints and in early August one expat was pleasantly surprised to find that it works. Chuck Guinn submitted e-mail to Makro (feedback@makro.com.ph) informing them of the lack of security in the Makro Pampanga parking lot. It seems that a few cars had been broken into and the new car of a friend was stolen from the lot. The main issue was the security of the parking lot and Chuck submitted a few suggestions. An info copy was sent to me and I visited Makro to find out what management felt about the complaint. I was able to meet with the manager, Jaime Vicencio, who was in the process of replying to Chuck's e-mail just as I was escorted into his office. The manager was very positive and appreciative of being informed of the problem. Makro headquarters had told him that they would budget for an additional guard that would be responsible for patrolling the parking area. It was explained that there used to be a dedicated guard, but when business slowed down, budget cuts had to be made, and the guard position was eliminated. This would not happen immediately as Jaime was required to amend the contract with the existing security firm and the budget would have to be increased. It was nice to see such an immediate response, action being taken, and a manager that was easy to talk to and was very understanding. All too often a feedback system is available but is only for show, with management not responding, this is not the case with the Makro folks, kind of makes the customers feel that their opinions are valued.
TIME MAKES A DIFFERENCE When the Edelweiss first opened its bar I was not impressed and said so in my column, but that was a few months ago and after a return trip last month I must report that there has been a vast improvement in the atmosphere. It is one fun place to go at night as the ladies on stage are a hell of a lot of fun and really work hard to make the customer feel special. It is a small intimate bar where the dancers are close enough to reach out and touch, and they do not mind that special caress which they will return ten fold. There are comfortable seats away from the bar area that allow for a bit more privacy and by the number of happy customers in attendance the night I went there, I could see that I was a bit late in rediscovering this cozy little hide-a-way. The Edelweiss Restaurant features Austrian food and prior to visiting the new bar I was able to enjoy a fantastic meat fondue but the specialty dessert was a first for me. This item was named palatechinken stuffed with vanilla ice cream and I certainly recommend this as a perfect way to complete a night of fine dining. After the meal, it is time to get up and get over to the adjoining fun bar that was the idea of the lady of the house, Elsa. She is the wife of "Mr. Edelweiss" (he asked that his real name not be used) and has been his partner for many years. This Edelweiss is the third one as there were two others in Manila before coming to Angeles in 1993, in fact they still have a place on Mabini St., Manila, called Munchen. Business has been a bit slow lately, but with the addition of the adjoining bar, business has picked up. The Edelweiss is located within walking distance of the jeepney terminal at Checkpoint. Their web page can be accessed at www.edelweissph.com or e-mail at edw@edelweissph.com.
CAMBODIA CLUB OPENS I did not visit this Club on opening night because of the crowd that was extra heavy this night as they were hosting a Dog House meeting as well. I waited a few days and went in one afternoon at 4 PM and, as I always am with a "Richard" club, was impressed. There is nothing cheap about this place, it is tastefully decorated, sound system top notch, seating comfortable, and every inch of space is used, oh yes, bathrooms were up to par as well; there is nothing there to remind you of the old Valentine bar. Over 100 dancers are employed in four shifts and then there are the waitresses, eight mamasans and four shift managers (expats). There are two tiers of dancers and a surrounding balcony for customers to sit and watch the ladies on the upper tier. The local drinks from 2 to 7 PM are only 35 pesos, after happy hour, 55 pesos, ladies drinks P125. Operating hours are from 2 PM to 5 AM with the shifts being 2-11 PM, 4 PM - 1 AM, 7 PM - 2 AM, and finally 8 PM - 5 AM. OK, here is a challenge for some of you guys that perform well after popping that little blue pill, I would like to hear from the first guy that is able to EWR a lady from each shift in one day and of course, perform up to the blue pill standard. I'm sure somebody will give it a try. I have included a picture of Leyda, a dancer, 18 years old, from Samar. She is really my "I would if I could" lady for this month. She is single, of course, no children, nice personality and has a cousin working as a waitress during the same shift that is also a very sweet lady. Did I like the place? YES! As I walked around Fields I spoke to different folks and heard negative comments such as "the music is too loud", "can't see the whole club", "when sitting upstairs you cannot see the dancers downstairs" and finally, "the ladies are too far away from the seats". My opinion - first, the music is too loud. I disagree; the music was loud, but not so loud that I could not carry on a conversation with someone next to me or with the girl dancing. My only objection was that the damn bass was irritating as hell; on many of the songs my seat and clothes were vibrating because of the high level of the woofers. Secondly, can't see the whole club. That is true; so what, how much do you have to see when sitting and having a drink? I was able to see as much as I wanted and it only took me a few minutes to explore those areas that I could not see from where I was sitting. Thirdly, about not being able to see the girls below when sitting upstairs, easy solution, stay downstairs. My goodness, the dancers rotate, wait long enough and you will see them all and if you are curious, you can always get up, go to the rail and look down. Lastly, the ladies being too far away from the seats is normal for most of the bars, especially the bigger, more upscale ones that are being built now. If you want the ladies close enough to touch, then visit some of the smaller, more intimate bars such as the Edelweiss, Gentlemen's Club, Thigh-Hi, HoneyKos and many others. My goodness folks, Richard's bars are built with class and they attract the tourists and that is what this town needs. Lets not get hung up on nit-noy things, some folks expect too much. Look at it this way, there are enough bars on Fields and Perimeter Road to satisfy any and all tastes at a price that is extremely affordable and more are being constructed as this is written. I appreciate the efforts of folks like Richard, Gerard, and Hans that are spending millions to upgrade the image of Fields Ave; they are taking a risk but their success will trickle down to the establishments that are smaller and do not have access to the same cash flow these folks have. They are spending money to make money and if the tourists come, we will all be able to drink from the same watering hole. Enough! The Cambodia may not be perfect but I bet you it will be one hell of a success!
WHERE IS THIS? Just had to take a picture of those legs and thighs. Won't tell you where she is, just that her name is Eileen. Think you can find her? Let me know if you succeed.
THE POPE IS COOKING I wonder how many different places Bob Pope has worked at on Fields Ave. This man has more energy than a rooster in a barnyard full of virgin hens and right now he has come to roost in the kitchen of Ayers Rock. He's holding on to the menu that presents some of his creations to tickle the palate of the most dedicated of barhopping customers. Check it out; Ayers Rock is succeeding in drawing in the crowds and outdistancing the other Sullivan projects, Cleopatra (still closed) and G-Spot. The G-Spot should pick up come November through February. Things are still a bit slow in town.
NO EGG LAYING HERE The Dirty Duck continues to do a standing room only business every day and has become a popular gathering place for local expats as well as the tourists. No worry about the Dirty Duck laying a rotten egg as everything is rated grade A here, except for those "dirty ducks" sitting in front.
THE COTTON TAIL Meet Amie, new owner of the Cotton Tail Bar. She told me, just call me "Mamasan" but I did not have a chance to talk to her as I caught her during a SOB night and those events enjoy a full house and not conducive to conversation. I know she has some big plans for the Cotton Tail so maybe I can tie her down for an interview this month. Now that you know what she looks like, pop in and say hello.
LOOKING GOOD Check out the Mongolian Bar-B-Q at Hidden Vale on Saturday afternoons for only P250. It is professionally presented and the quality was excellent. Did not hear any negative comments from the dining public on the day I was there. Time did not allow me to check it out personally but plan to do so this month. I certainly hope it is as good as it looks.
PRIVATE CLUB Presently, construction is ongoing for the private club that will adjoin the Blue Nile, located on the second floor of the Chic & Rib restaurant. I was able to inspect the premises and already I can see that it will be impressive, as is everything that Richard puts together. I think he put together a pretty good package in that he obtained a five year lease starting at P30, 000 a month with a 10% increase each year. I believe the club will be open to the public for the first few months and then memberships will be sold with restricted access to members and their guests after that. Still have to talk to Richard to get all the details. Will be interesting to see how this develops. BI BROKE The 28 Aug edition of the Philippine Daily Inquirer had a story on its front page that reported Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Andrea Domingo indicated the bureau would have no money left after September because its appropriation for the last quarter of the year will be used to pay its electric, water and telephone bills. The agency is deep in debt to utility firms. That answers a puzzling question then, no wonder there are a few foreigners in detention in Manila under BOI authority that are being held longer than necessary. If these guys would only pay us as "requested" then maybe an electric bill could be paid. SM MALL NEEDED OR NOT? That is the hot question in Angeles City right now, should the Clark Development Corp. (CDC) approve the construction of a giant SM City mall at the Clark Special Economic Zone's (CSEZ) main gate, which is adjacent to the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA)? Many say no for a couple of reasons, one, there is already a SM City mall as well as a Robinson's in San Fernando, only a 20 minute drive from here on the Expressway; two, the location at the main gate is a horrible location as there is no infrastructure to support this and it would interfere with expansion of the DMIA (if a miracle should happen and they really get serious about developing it); three, the more sensible location would be near the Expo which already has a large unused parking lot and great roads leading to it and if that white elephant is ever opened again, the SM City would draw more customers to its gates. For years prior to the construction of the SM City in San Fernando this horse was hoping that Mr. Sy would build a mall on Clark or along the Dau access road to the expressway. Now, after building a mall in San Fernando Mr. Sy wants to build one here, where the hell were you years ago, when one was needed in this area? Additionally, how in the world would we cope with the additional traffic coming through the main gate? If you want to see one colossal mess, check out the all day traffic jam on the MacArthur Hi-way route to Dau from Balibago. Authorities can't even deal with the daily traffic jam on Fields Ave. If CDC wants to do something worthwhile then get rid of the illegal structures on the north side of Fields Ave. Money speaks though, especially in the Philippines, so let us see what direction the CDC board of directors takes on 30 August when this matter is taken to a vote. GOOD TO SEE YOU Just as I thought this article was finished and ready to send off, Caddy Shack's Reggie walked into the bar to say hello. At last, a success story in the cancer department. Reggie had been given six months to live by the doctors in Australia prior to his chemo treatment for lung cancer. Today, he is well and the cancer has disappeared from his lungs and Reggie is happy to have received a new lease on life; he is more than pleased that his hair is growing back as well. While undergoing treatment he kept busy by getting back into his old business of selling cars and also bought a house for the wife. Reggie plans to travel back and forth to keep active with the Caddy Shack and would like folks to know that major renovations will be taking place at that location starting sometime this month. He would also like to organize golf tours from Australia to Angeles like he originally intended to do many years ago. It is a good feeling to be able to welcome back a long time resident who many thought might not make it back at all. Too many of the local lads have left us lately because of cancer so believe me Reggie, "it was damn good to see you back, may you be with us for many more years"! NEW BIKES MAKE AN APPEARANCEIf you visit the Clark Economic Zone (CSEZ) stop by the building that used to house the Tiangge Duty Free store (opposite Oriental) and check out the fantastic looking Aprilla Motorcycles and motor scooters (imported from Italy). This is the first appearance in the Philippines for this top of the line two wheelers imported by Ultra Bykes Network with Mike DeGuzman and Reynaldo Pineda the men in charge. I could only stare in amazement as there was a 500cc motor scooter costing P400,000 that looked like it belonged permanently in a show room, what a beauty and what a price! There were at least 20 different models on display ranging in price from a low Chinese made scooter (150cc) for 35,000 pesos up to the the top of the line I just mentioned. The motorcycles range from P450,000 to P975,000 and I guess there must be lots of folks with that kind of money to toss around as Mike told me the stock on hand was already reserved. Actual sales cannot be completed at this time as the Clark Development Corp. (CDC) has loaded the approval system with a monumental stack of red tape. Even though investors are encouraged to locate at the CDC, I have heard from other sources that once here it is difficult to hurdle all the obstacles leading to final approval. SILK STOCKINGS IS CLOSEDIt did not bother me at all to see this bar closed, supposedly for renovations. There are some rumors floating around that they encountered a few difficulties recently but I have not been able to tie down the actual facts so will just say that when, and if, the place reopens, I hope that it will be customer oriented and that the Filipino "goon squad" will be absent. This bar has potential, how bout it Sid, will you give the folks something to look forward to? The time has come to trot on out of here and relax for a few days and take the time to enjoy the inner peace I have found every time I complete a column. I never found inner peace until I received a bit of advice of how to do so and will now pass it on to you. The advice was "The way to achieve inner peace is to finish all things you have started". So, today I have finished one bottle of vodka, a bottle of red wine, a bottle of Jack Daniel's, all of my Prozac and a big box of chocolates. Damn, do I feel better already! Oh yes, don't forget to be kind to horses. |
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